Indonesia's Riau declares State of Emergency over haze - TODAYonline

RIAU — Indonesia’s Riau province yesterday declared a State of Emergency and sought help from the central government as choking haze from forest fires and a dry spell worsened the region’s air quality, media reports said. At least seven of Riau’s 12 districts have been affected by the haze, which has been exacerbated by a dry spell this month. The worsening air quality has led to more than 22,000 residents suffering respiratory problems after pollutant levels reached record highs, the national Antara news agency reported. Mr Said Saqlul Amri, head of the local disaster management agency, said the province would seek Jakarta’s help as it lacked the resources to handle the problem, the DPA news agency reported. The National Disaster Management Agency spokesman in Jakarta, Mr Sutopo Nugoroho, said it was looking into ways to offer assistance, but emphasised that the responsib...